This invention relates to beverage container holders generally and, in particular, to beverage container holders which may be moved from a concealed, inoperative storage position to an operative position.
Concealable container holders are known in the art. They are particularly useful in motor vehicles, where space is at a premium. When not in use, the container holder may be stored in a dash board or arm rest, thereby freeing the space occupied by the container holder. Because available storage space for the container holder is limited, the container holder must have a compact storage shape. Minimizing the storage size of container holders is particularly important when the unit is designed to hold multiple containers.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,526,793 discloses a shelf which pivots from an inoperative position concealed within the edge of a table to an operative position. The shelf has a ring which may be extended above and parallel to the top surface of the shelf to support a beverage container on the shelf. The disclosure of this reference is incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,707 shows in FIGS. 4 and 5 a beverage container holder mounted on a shelf which pivots down from a storage housing. When the shelf is swung into its open position, the container holder may be moved from its endwise, inoperative position to a horizontal operative position. The disclosure of this reference is incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,908 shows in FIGS. 1-6 a beverage container holder which is mounted on a shelf which pivots down from a storage housing. After the shelf has been moved to its open position, the two semicircular halves of the container holder may be separated from their vertical position to an open, horizontal position so that the semicircles form a ring. FIGS. 7-11 show an alternative embodiment having multiple container holders. The disclosure of this reference is incorporated herein by reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,826,058 shows two embodiments of a single container holder. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the holder swings out of its storage housing about a pivot mounted on one end of a front panel. In the embodiment of FIGS. 3-5, the holder slides out of the storage housing as a drawer. In both embodiments, a container support swings down into an operative position beneath the holder when the holder is removed from the storage housing. The disclosure of this reference is incorporated herein by reference.